Daily Archives: April 15, 2025

Tuesday, April 29, 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm Eastern – Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard, Online

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A recent report commissioned by Friends of the Earth found that the U.S. food retail sector’s use of pesticides on just four crops could result in $219 billion in financial, climate, and biodiversity risks between now and 2050. The report identified $34 billion in biodiversity risks associated with pollinator-harming pesticides. Friends of the Earth’s Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard shows that major U.S. food retailers are increasingly acknowledging the role pesticides play in biodiversity loss. Since 2018, thirteen of the retailers ranked on the scorecard have established policies aimed at reducing toxic pesticides in their supply chains, signaling a significant shift taking place across the food retail sector. These efforts follow a multi-year campaign led by Friends of the Earth and supported by over 100 environmental, public health, farmer, and farmworker organizations across the country. Yet, despite this promising trend, efforts fall far short of what is needed to address this massive liability. Join Dr. Kendra Klein online on April 29 at 7 pm Eastern to learn more about the findings of the report and what companies are doing. This free Zoom is presented by Grow Native Massachusetts and you may register at www.grownativemass.org

Kendra Klein, PhD is Deputy Director of Science at Friends of the Earth. She leads research on pesticides, environmental health, and sustainable agriculture. Prior to joining FOE, she held positions at Physicians for Social Responsibility, Health Care Without Harm, and Breast Cancer Action. Klein is a Switzer Environmental Fellow and her work has appeared in publications including The Guardian, The Nation, and Gastronomica. She holds a BA from Miami University of Ohio and a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy & Management from UC Berkeley.

Monday, April 28, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Brookline Greenspace Alliance Annual Meeting

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The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Brookline GreenSpace Alliance will be held on Monday, April 28, 5:30–7:30 PM, at Boston University’s Wightman House, at the corner of Monmouth Street and Hawes Street. BGSA members and the public are invited.

Nancy O’Connor, former chair of Brookline’s Park and Recreation Commission, will speak on What I Learned in Twenty-Seven Years on the Park and Recreation Commission.

The agenda also will include election of members of the BGSA Board of Directors and a vote on proposed amendments to the BGSA bylaws. Many amendments are technical corrections. Others are updates that reflect changes since the bylaws were drafted in the late 1980s, particularly the now-widespread use of email and virtual meetings.

The bylaw amendments and an explanation are available here:
https://www.brooklinegreenspace.org/pdf/2025%20Bylaw%20changes%20explained.pdf

Please email info@brooklinegreenspace.org to let us know if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting and whether you are a BGSA member. Because we will be voting on bylaw amendments, we need to know how many members will attend. BGSA members are defined as (1) any individual who has made a financial contribution of at least $25 since January 1, 2024; (2) representatives of Park Friends groups (one representative and one vote per group); and (3) members of the BGSA Board of Directors. Nonmembers may attend the meeting but may not vote. If you are not sure of your membership status, please email info@brooklinegreenspace.org to inquire.